STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine and urged witnesses to come forward, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said on Tuesday.
The authority said the purpose of the investigation was to secure evidence as early as possible that could be used in Swedish or international courts. It urged victims and anyone who had witnessed violence against civilians in Ukraine to contact authorities.
“Based on the information available on the situation in Ukraine, there is reason to believe that serious war crimes have been committed,” the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement.
The Authority said it currently had no suspects.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of war crimes and called for a trial, adding to the global outcry over civilian killings in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. The Kremlin said that Western allegations of war crimes were a “monstrous forgery”.
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; editing by Niklas Pollard)
